Manuscript Collection No. 292

The Frank and Greenhall Family papers (1853-1987) contain
material on the Greenhall and Frank families of St. Louis, Missouri. Included are
family
trees, correspondence, photographs and personal documents. Nathan Frank's accomplishments
are prominent within this collection.

The Frank and Greenhall Family papers contain information on the Frank, Greenhall
and
Silverstein families of St. Louis, Missouri.

By far the most famous of those included in this collection is Nathan Frank (1852-1931).
Frank was an attorney, former Congressman, former owner of the St.
Louis Star and one of St. Louis' most distinguished civic leaders. He was a
philanthropist, author, legislator and political leader. He was a foe of prohibition
and was
looked upon by the Jewish community as one of their foremost leaders.

Frank was born in Peoria, Illinois, February 23, 1852, the son of Abraham and Branette
Frank, who came from Germany in 1849. He received his early schooling in the public
schools
of Peoria. In 1867, upon graduation, his parents moved to St. Louis. Frank later attended
Harvard University Law School where he received a bachelor of laws degree in 1871.
After an
additional year of work after graduation at Harvard, Frank returned to St. Louis where
he
was admitted to the bar in 1874. For several years he devoted himself to commercial
and
bankruptcy law, on which he became a renowned authority. He compiled and edited Frank's Bankruptcy Law,
which was published in four editions, and later formed the basis of the Bankruptcy
Act of
1898.

Frank joined the Republican party as a young man, and after receiving the Republican
nomination and unsuccessfully contesting the election of his opponent, John M. Gloyer,
to
the 50th Congress, he was elected to the 51st Congress from the central district of
St.
Louis.

As a legislator Frank served on several important committees and was active in securing
the
passage of some notable legislation. He framed the bill for reapportionment of members
to
Congress based on the eleventh decennial census, the first reapportionment bill ever
enacted
by a unanimous vote of Congress. Chairman of the Republican State Committee in 1896,
Frank
joined the coterie of Republican leaders headed by Mike Hanna. Frank ran for United
States
Senate in 1910, 1916, and 1928, but failed to win the Republican primaries.

Frank never married and was a life member of his father's Reform synagogue,
Temple Shaare Emeth in St. Louis. He was a supporter of both local
and national charities. In 1920 he served as general chairman of the Jewish War
Relief Committee.

Frank's last public appearance was just before his death when he, along with several
thousand Jews from St. Louis, met to protest British policies forbidding further immigration
or land purchases in Palestine. Although not a Zionist, Frank was tireless in his
efforts to
aid and support the homeless and displaced of Europe.

Nathan Frank died on April 5, 1931 after bequeathing money for the construction of
the
Nathan Frank Chapel at Temple Shaare Emeth. He was buried in Mount
Sinai Cemetery in St. Louis.

The Frank and Greenhall Family papers contain information on the Greenhall and Frank
families of St. Louis, Missouri. This collection is arranged alphabetically. Prominent
in
this collection is information about and memorabilia on Nathan Frank, A. Frank Greenhall
and
Charles Greenhall. Quite notably, there is a signed letter to Nathan Frank from then
president Benjamin Harrison and several from John W. Noble, the Secretary of the Interior
(1889-1893).

The bulk of the collection is correspondence to and from family members. There is
also
genealogical information for the Blumenthal, Rozand, Hausman, Grossman, Neuman, Weinberger
and Weil families.

Terms of Access

The collection is open for use; no restrictions apply.

Terms of Reproduction and Use

Copyright restrictions may apply. Authorization to publish, quote, or reproduce, with exceptions for fair use,
may be obtained through the American Jewish Archives, Cincinnati, Ohio. Please address
queries to the Executive Director of the American Jewish Archives. For more information,
see
the American Jewish Archives copyright information webpage.